Q&A with Wake Forest Senior Sam Cronin
Senior midfielder discusses his four years at Wake Forest

Oct. 24, 2008

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest men's soccer team will honor its senior class in a pregame ceremony before Saturday's 7 p.m. game against Boston College. The winningest class in program history, the eight-member senior class has compiled a 67-13-9 record over the last four years and helped to lead the team to the 2006 ACC regular season championship and the 2007 national championship. WakeForestSports.com recently had a chance to sit down with senior midfielder and M.A.C. Hermann Trophy candidate Sam Cronin to talk about his experiences at Wake Forest. A full transcript of the interview follows:

Q: Is it hard to believe that you're getting ready to play your last regular season home game at Spry Stadium?
A: I think it has gone by quickly. I can distinctively remember a lot of good moments on these practice fields, and the game field over at Spry has been a special place. It will definitely be meaningful for our last regular season home game here to have a lot of good friends and family in attendance so we're going to try to make it a good performance.

Q: What is your best memory at Spry Stadium?
A: On this field, beating Notre Dame in the Quarterfinals to go on to the Final Four for the second consecutive year was special. I think that's the game on Spry Stadium that sticks out most in my four-year career.

Q: What is it going to be like playing in your last regular season game here?
A: It'll be special. Obviously, it's a meaningful game just for what's going on at Senior Night and what's going on outside of it, but it's a big ACC game for us against Boston College. They took the ACC regular season and tournament championship from us last season, so for this team it's a really important game in our season and achieving our goals.

Q: What's it been like playing in your hometown of Winston-Salem?
A: It's been great. It's almost like a Senior Night every night because every night my parents, family and a lot of close friends are in attendance. I think for me it's been a special time every time we've had a home game here.

Q: How has the team developed since your freshman year?
A: It's been night and day. The biggest thing is not that we're having better players, it's just the guys who are coming in are really good people who commit to the program and buy in to what the coaches are trying to teach us. The biggest thing is having a bunch of humble guys who are ready to listen and work hard everyday. It has really helped out tremendously and if we continue to do that, then hopefully our success will continue this year.

Q: How have you developed as a player since you've been at Wake Forest?
A: For me, I don't know if it's any one thing in particular that's so much better. It's all the loose ends and everything that are just so much cleaner. Offensively, defensively, everything's just sharper. I have a better presence and awareness of the field and I'm more comfortable in my confidence. I think that's the biggest thing.

Q: What would you tell someone who is looking to come to Wake Forest what kind of experiences they can expect with the men's soccer team?
A: I think that they should expect whatever they want to get out of it, they have to put into it. Obviously, there are a lot of resources here to become a great student and a great student-athlete but you have to work hard and put the work in. If a guy is willing to have their head on their shoulders properly and work hard in the classroom and on the field and listen to everyone who is directing them in the right way, they will have so much success and grow in all areas of their life. Expect to change - and if you're willing to work hard - change for the better.